That Time of Year
by nycz
Summary: After getting on Regina's bad side, Ruby has to ask the other magic-knowing residents of Storybrooke for help when she gets an itch that she can't seem to get rid of. For some reason though, they're not very helpful. (Written for Day 2 - Trope for Red Queen Week 2014).


To Ruby's defense, the vault is pretty cramped. She's down there with Regina, watching her fiddle around with potions and spells that Ruby hasn't even heard about before. Or, well, she's not really watching what Regina _does_; she's just watching _Regina_. The rest of it isn't all that interesting anyway. It's as if there is this itch she needs to scratch and ogling her totally-not-girlfriend – they've made out a few times but Regina has tried to act casual about it – makes it almost bearable. Almost.

It's only a few days away from the full moon and she can feel her wolf surfacing, even more than usual. This last month she's been training with Regina to control and become one with her wolf and while the result has been better control in her wolf worm, she is also more affected by her wolf when she's in human form. Smells, sensations, urges, they're all much more distinct and at times almost overwhelming.

So perhaps it isn't that surprising that Ruby manages to topple a pile of books and papers, spreading them over a surprisingly large area in Regina's vault. Suffice it to say, Regina isn't at all happy and sends Red away with her – still proverbial – tail between her legs and an order not to return until after wolfstime.

A day after the incident in the vault, that itch has grown much worse. It isn't like anything Ruby has felt before and she begins to realize that something might just be wrong. She's restless and energetic and feels like she wants bite something. Her body is tingling, her smell is heightened even more than usual, her mouth is persistently dry and she finds herself ogling the female population more than usual. _Much_ more than usual. Not wanting to bother her not-girlfriend, Ruby decides to ask around for help. After all, Regina isn't the only one with knowledge about magic and the old world.

* * *

><p><strong>Granny<strong>

Granny is her first stop, hoping to get some insight from the fellow werewolf.

"What you need to do is get a girlfriend and stop pestering me with your hormone problems," Granny huffs. "You don't hear me complain about my sex life, do you?"

Ruby flees.

* * *

><p><strong>The fairies<strong>

Blue greets her with that nightmarish, empty smile of hers outside the convent, more than willing to hear Ruby out.

When Ruby has explained her symptoms, she frowns. "Perhaps some kind of lust potion? Or maybe the food here simply doesn't agree with you. There is much we don't know..."

Ruby tunes her out, nodding slowly, her eyes fixed on a pair of fairies farther away. They're standing closely together, laughing and touching each other's arms and they're really cute and Ruby can't help but want to just push them a _little_ closer together...

"...is difficult to say," Blue finishes. "We could do some tests, of course, if you'd like?" Her smile sends chills down Ruby's spine.

"Thanks, I'm... fine," Ruby replies with an enthusiastic shake of her head and a wide, wild smile. "I think I'll just wait it out. Werewolf healing, you know. It'll probably be fine." She turns on her heel and leaves before Blue has time to respond.

* * *

><p><strong>Tinker Bell<strong>

Tink smells nice. She smells _really_ nice. She also looks a little flustered for some reason.

"Ruby?"

"Hm?"

"My eyes are up here."

"Oh." Ruby raises her eyes.

"Still higher."

Ruby hums, her eyes traveling upwards to stop at Tink's lips. Did they always look so inviting?

Tink sighs, part amusement and part frustration. "I'm sorry, but I really can't help you, Ruby. You'll have to," she shrugs and makes a vague hand gesture, "see a doctor or something."

* * *

><p><strong>The hospital<strong>

Dr. Whale eventually agrees to run a few tests, although he seems even more annoyed than usual to have to do them.

"Okay," he says as he enters the room, obnoxiously dragging out the "o". "Ms. Lucas. Besides the fact that your eyes are glowing yellow, I'd say you're as healthy as you possibly can be. What a surprise." He flashes her an entirely unconvincing smile.

"Come on, doc," Ruby urges him, frustrated by her lack of result. "If I'm so healthy, what's going on with me?"

"Well," he mutters, thumbing through his papers. "According to modern medicine, you're experiencing an acute case of... extreme arousal." He looks up and gives her another fake smile. "Go have sex with someone, Ms. Lucas. Preferably a lot. Doctor's orders." With that, he leaves the room. "Don't forget to use protection," he throws back to her before the door closes behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>The Charmings<strong>

A talk with Snow about anything related to sex can either be an extremely awkward stammering mess or a sappy three hour talk about Twue Wub. This time, Snow apparently decides on a mix of the two, even inviting David to help her out.

After half an hour of watching Snow and David giggle, blush and stare longingly into each other's eyes, Ruby gives up.

She leaves with enough encouragements to "always find her" that she almost feels compelled to start her own lesbian detective agency.

* * *

><p><strong>The pawn shop<strong>

Mr. Gold sniffs the air as soon as she enters the shop, giving her an amused look.

"Nothing for you here, dearie."

"I haven't even told you why I'm here yet."

"What you need," he says, leaning on the counter, "is a visit to the local kennel."

Ruby rolls her eyes. "Did you have anything to do with this?"

"No," he answers simply. "For once, a sex-crazed werewolf on the loose in the neighborhood isn't part of my plan." He winks and smirks at her. "I'll let you know when it is."

* * *

><p><strong>Emma<strong>

Emma is surprisingly calm and just as _un_surprisingly difficult to avoid ogling.

"So you've basically talked to half the town already."

Ruby hums in agreement, unable to stop her eyes from roaming over Emma's body.

"Look, I'm flattered and all, but I'm really not the one you need to see."

Ruby frowns. "Why not?"

"You need to see _Regina_," Emma tells her, slowly, as if she's explaining to a child. "Seriously, don't you remember the last months?"

"What?" It's really hard to concentrate with Emma so close, her scent soaking the air. Granted, she doesn't smell as good as Regina, but then who does?

Emma huffs, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "Fine, I'll prove it." She walks off and returns a few moments later with a white shirt. "This is one of Regina's shirts. I managed to spill some soup on it last time she was here and then she forgot–"

The thought of Regina leaving her shirt with someone else stirs up something primitive and aggressive deep inside her. Narrowing her eyes towards Emma, a growl rumbles low in her throat.

"Woha, Rubes," Emma says, taking a step back, "no need to bare your fangs at me. We're just friends, sharing a son, you know that. Now smell it."

Ruby glares at Emma but accepts the shirt. Holding it up to her face, she sniffs at it. Recognizing the scent, she takes another deep breath, almost moaning at the feeling of it. She knows that scent. Her _mate_.

She blinks at the thought, immediately confused. She doesn't have a "mate". Weird-ass wolf instincts. Looking up at Emma, all she's met with is a knowing smirk. "What?"

"Look, either she knows how to fix it, or, well..." she shrugs, "you two can take your annoyingly cute flirting a little bit further. Henry stays with my parents anyway."

* * *

><p><strong>108 Mifflin Street<strong>

Seeing Regina is easier than expected.

"I thought I told you not to come back until _after_ wolfstime," Regina says, arms crossed and looking anything but pleased.

"I think it's werewolf mating season," Ruby blurts out, running her eyes hungrily up and down Regina's dress-clad body. She's pretty sure her teeth are already elongated.

Regina does not look impressed. "Is that supposed to be a pickup line?"

"What? No," Ruby says, rubbing her forehead. All that smell of her ma– of Regina floating around in the air makes it really difficult to think. "It's some kind of werewolf thing, I think. I asked around but no one knew what it was."

Regina hums, her expression a little softer. "You do look a little... _flustered_, dear."

"I just need my mate," Ruby mutters, licking her lips and dragging her tongue over her teeth.

"Your _mate_?" Regina asks, an eyebrow raised and a taunting smirk on playing her lips. "And who would that be?"

"Regina," Ruby whines and steps a little closer. "I need to _mate_."

"Fine," Regina acquiesces with a none too convincingly despondent sigh, stepping aside to let Ruby inside.

And that is how Ruby a while later finds herself pushing Regina up against a wall, lips and teeth on her neck and one hand up Regina's dress. She's wet, she's willing, she smells delicious and she's _Ruby's_.

"If you even think about leaving a mark–" Regina tries, the breathlessness of her voice not doing her any favors.

Ruby just hums in response, completely disregarding the warning as she sucks possessively on Regina's pulse-point. When Regina tries to argue once more, Ruby just snakes her hand in under Regina's soaked underwear, turning her complaint into one long, needy moan. Life is good.

* * *

><p>"It's a wonder wolves ever got to be domesticated," Regina mutters, eyeing her neck critically in the mirror, "seeing how you can't even comprehend a simple command."<p>

"I think it looks pretty on you," Ruby mumbles from her position behind Regina, arms around her waist and her chin resting on Regina's shoulder. "Purple looks good on you. And I am domesticated enough to sleep in the bed, aren't I?"

"We'll see."

Ruby just laughs and slips away from Regina, tugging her along up to the bedroom to test that theory.

* * *

><p>The next day, the itch is almost gone and Ruby can enjoy her now-probably-girlfriend's pancakes in peace.<p>

That is, if "in peace" means pestering said maybe-girlfriend with nibbles and kisses to her neck and shoulders while she's making said pancakes.

"Ruby," Regina groans after they have finished breakfast and is supposed to be cleaning up in the kitchen.

"Hm?" Ruby replies, resting her forehead against Regina's as she roll her hips, her leg wedged between Regina's thighs.

"We need to stop. I'm supposed to meet Henry at Granny's."

"He can wait a little, though, right?" Ruby says, slowing down her motions despite herself. She looks down into Regina's eyes with a pleading look, biting her lower lip.

After a moment of fighting against Ruby's puppy dog eyes, Regina gives up. "Fine," she murmurs, pulling Ruby in for a heated, urgent kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>Granny's, a while later<strong>

When they – eventually – enter Granny's, Ruby is _almost_ certain that Regina is her girlfriend. At least she's certain enough to keep their fingers linked even as they step inside. Regina makes no move to pull away but does shoot Ruby a look.

"If I knew your _smile_ would tell everyone exactly what we did last night," Regina mutters, "I would have brought the sex tape instead."

The comment does nothing to dim Ruby's smile. It definitely doesn't help that Regina is kind of adorable when she's annoyed.

Granny, Dr. Whale and Snow is at the counter, discussing something animatedly.

"Everything doesn't have to be about sex," Snow argues. "I think she was having to reevaluate her own values, who she was and who she wanted to be, you know? It's not just a matter of..." she makes a vague hand gesture, "getting it _on_."

"Well, that's–" Granny abruptly stops herself and looks up, seeing Ruby stealing a kiss from an slightly flustered Regina before the two part ways, Regina joining Henry in one of the booths and Ruby stepping up to the counter.

"Oh, hello, Ruby," Snow greets her, her eyes flitting around nervously.

"Good morning," Ruby responds with a wide grin, walking around the counter to prepare for her shift.

"So, you and the mayor," Granny says, peering at her over the rim of her glasses. "That itch gone yet?"

Ruby just shrugs, but her grin is firmly in place.

"It doesn't _have_ to mean..." Snow tries.

Granny looks at Snow, then at Ruby and then turns to Dr. Whale with a knowing look. "I told her."

"Another score for science," he replies with a smug grin, raising his drink towards Granny.

Groaning, Snow lets her head fall down to the counter just as Granny and Dr. Whale high-fives, victoriously exclaiming "hormones!"


End file.
